In Neal Stephenson’s science fiction, The Diamond Age or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, there were a few lines that jumped out at me:
“… Sometimes he would have Nell come into the bathroom with him to scrub his back because he couldn’t quite reach one spot in the middle. Sometimes he would look at Nell’s hair and tell her that she needed a bath, and then she would take off her clothes and climb into the shower with him and he would help wash her…”
Here’s a 4-year old innocent, unsuspecting little girl slowly being lured into the conniving hands of her mother’s untrustworthy boyfriend. What may seem innocent (or begins innocently) can turn out to be the most traumatic experience a child ever has.It’s always the one you least expect; the molester can be anyone — friend, family member, neighbor, teacher, babysitter, priest, pastor, male, female, heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual — who can you trust? Our children are surrounded by sexual predators 24/7 — they’re running amuck throughout our nation and our little ones haven’t a clue! How can we protect them? How will we bring an end to this madness? How do you “fix” your child when the damage is done? Why are predators and pedophiles being released from jail and allowed to move in next door? Is warning a community that a pedophile just moved into their neighborhood the best solution our government can come up with?
I totally agree with this post. Have you ever seen the NBC program “To Catch a Predator?” Every week I am completely shocked and horrified at the amount of online predators that they are catching in every single state. 40, 50, 60 and even 70 year old men trying to set up “dates” with 13 and 14 year old girls.
It’s gotten to the point where everytime my own 13 year old niece’s name pops up online my heart catches in my throat. I try to be casual, (”So…what are you doing? Who are you chatting with?̶
It’s sad to think she has to grow up in a world to be suspicious of anyone who might want to say hello, but that’s the way it is.
I don’t have any children, but several of my friends do. I once asked my friend Sheila, what she does to try to keep her two little boys safe from strangers and possible predators. Her answer was simple, “I scare them to death.” Isn’t that sad…
Hi Lisa. I’ve never seen “To Catch a Predator?” Hopefully the program is such that it opens the eyes of parents and youth alike. You can’t trust everybody, especially someone you’re chatting with online that you haven’t met that seems to be too friendly. Kids don’t have a clue and that’s why it’s so important for parents to be involved in their children’s lives as much as possible without being overbearing - it’s for their protection and ultimate good - we live in an evil world but there are a lot of good people out there - you need discernment to pick them out though.
Be blessed!
I agree with your post, although I dont think that it was so innocent on the part of the adult in the book in question. I dont think that any child should be in the bathroom/tub/shower with an adult especially a male adult and a female child. I am sicken by adult men washing their little girls or even changing their clothes at a certian point. I know that somethings just have to be done, and I guess with all of the news about child molestation it is just unavoidable to think that anyone could be tempted, it is a sad day when fathers are not trusted to change the diapers of there little girls or give them baths. It is a very sad day.